


Will You Still Love Me When I'm No Longer Young and Beautiful?

by LizzyLovesPink



Category: Helix Waltz (Video Game)
Genre: A bit of a song fic if you think about it, F/M, Forbidden Love, Headcanon, Name fic, Prequel, True Love, character history
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-10
Updated: 2019-04-10
Packaged: 2020-01-11 02:42:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18421161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizzyLovesPink/pseuds/LizzyLovesPink
Summary: Alminas would never forget the first time he met Adamarie, playing a game in the forest. He would never forget her wedding, her first ball, her slowly growing old.But the thing he would remember most of all was the sweetness of her character and the happiness behind her smile, which was inevitably replaced by bitter loneliness.Adamarie was such a hauntingly perfect name for her.





	Will You Still Love Me When I'm No Longer Young and Beautiful?

"Come out of there! I can see you hiding!" The girlish voice pouted, its owner pouting as she put her hands on her hips. Alminas tried to shrink back slightly, only to realize such a feat was pointless, no matter how well his clothes blended into the greenery of the forest and hid his figure from view.

He finally nodded and stepped out, revealing his green-robed form. The girl smiled, seemingly satisfied.

"See? Now we can both see each other and it's fair!" She decided, looking him over. "Are you an Elf? Wow! I've never seen one up close in person before, you know? I've always wanted to see one! My parents say they're not real though,"

"Well, I'm real," Alminas smiled lightly at the girl. If she had never seen an Elf before, then the feeling was mutual. He hadn't seen a human up this close before, and that was definitely what this girl was. She looked to be pretty young; a child, with thick, straight black hair pulled into a ponytail that was pulled to the side. Her eyes were just as green and vibrant as the forest around her. Her clothes were simple; a white plaid dress with a blue-striped apron with a white lacy bonnet in her hair.

The girl giggled. "What were you doing in the forest? Talking to animals? I read Elves can communicate with them,"

"No, I was just...observing. Watching the humans who come and go from this small forest." Alminas answered slowly.

"Where are you? Adamarie! Come back!" And older voice called out, and the girl pouted some more.

"Awww, that's my annoying older sister...she's probably upset I ran off again." She adjusted her ponytail slightly. "I hope I'll see you again, Elf! I enjoyed meeting one in person!" She ran off, waving eagerly to him.

Adamarie....somehow, that name suited her. Alminas shook his head slightly, trying to shake off the feeling that this girl would become important to him in his future. True, she was the first human he really had much contact with, but that meant little.

Even if they were friends in the future, time wouldn't allow for much of a relationship. It was best to just put all thoughts of her from his mind away.

#####

He had moved out of the forest and attempted to find a better place on the outskirts of town, understanding that a lot of nobles had found Elves attractive and the Four Families in particular were all competing with each other to own an Elf of their very own as a servant. Alminas figured such a job would be much more stable and therefore moved to make himself more noticeable in the eyes of the nobles. He secretly thought such close contact with humans was a bad idea; but ultimately, it mattered little. Perhaps working for a noble family that would inevitably have many generations across the years truly was a better option.

After he had gotten settled in after a few weeks, he was surprised by a sudden series of knocks on his front door. Who was there? Who...would even visit him in the first place? Perhaps it was...

He shook his head and opened the door, finding two noblemen and a smaller noblegirl standing there. Despite the girl's powdery-blue dress and black curls piled on top of her head, as well as a faint trace of freckles hastily covered up by makeup, Alminas easily recognized her as Adamarie. Had it really been ten years?

"You look exactly the same!" Adamarie quipped, smiling at Alminas. "Do you remember me? The girl you met in the forest! Nearly ten years ago..."

"Why are you here?" Alminas asked after nodding. "Who are these people?"

"This is my fiance, Mathias Jorcastle! He told me that he wanted to hire an Elf for our family. I told him I knew the perfect one," Adamarie explained, motioning to the shorter of the two men.

"Yes. It took us quite a long time to track you down without a name. Especially with how many Elves have been moving out of the forests and settling in around the town," Mathias explained curtly. "But my fiancee was absolutely insistent,"

"Would you like to come back with us? You'd have to show off your skills and prove your worth, of course, but the Jorcastles are one of the Four Families on Finsel. Powerful mages and rich as well," The other man explained. Alminas assumed he was Mathias' father; they looked pretty similar.

"....Alright." He nodded, gathering up a few things and following after the family back into their carriage. The experience was surreal, this almost-immortal being of sorts being helped into a grey, rickety carriage by some mortals. Adamarie sat across from him in the carriage and adjusted her skirts, smiling nicely at him.

"I'm so happy you agreed. I figured you would be perfect for Mathias and I!" She put her hands on her heart. Alminas felt his own flutter slightly.

"I don't think I have very many skills," He replied shyly.

"We'll be the judges of that," Mathias' father commented sharply.

####

She looked beautiful in her wedding gown; everything in fresh spring greens and golds to match the Jorcastle family colours. And looked happy too, radiant. Alminas was invited by her personally to attend the wedding, and so he sat in the front row, beside her parents and Mathias'. After they kissed, she gave Alminas a brief smile, then pulled him aside after the wedding to thank him personally.

"Remember when I said this dress didn't look very good on me?" She laughed, running her hands down the layers.

"I found that thought ridiculous. You could wear anything and you would look beautiful. It's your smile. Everytime you smile, the room just lights up and I feel as though everything will be alright," Alminas commented.

"O-Oh...thank you," Adamarie blushed lightly. "Speaking of which, do you know what my name means? Adamarie?"

Alminas shook his head, and she laughed her little bell laugh and told him, whispering it to him.

"That's why Mother wanted to name me such. She said I smiled even from birth and that my smile was radiant. That I would always bring happiness to other people's lives,"

"She was right." Alminas smiled slightly. His heart fluttered some more.

####

"Mathias suddenly fell ill....I have no escort for the ball tonight," Twenty-year-old Adamarie huffed.

"Are you sure he's alright with you going while he's sick like this?" Alminas asked instead.

"He said it was fine, as long as I had an escort and didn't go alone. But...I have no-one," She gazed down at her pink, poofy gown, her hair already styled high up above her head.

Alminas walked over to her and gently took her hands. "Would he...be alright if you went with...a mere servant?"

Adamarie giggled. "If that servant was you, I think he'd be alright with it. After all, you're not an ordinary servant,"

"And you're not an ordinary girl,"

And so, the two went to the ball; Alminas having no idea what to even do or wear. Adamarie quickly hemmed an old suit of Mathias' father to make it fit better to Alminas' frame, then pulled his hair into a ponytail. The two then arrived at the ball, arm-in-arm.

"She went with an Elf? How strange,"

"Oh, but I heard her own husband was ill!"

"Ah, so that's why,"

The others gossiped around them, but Adamarie paid them no mind. She smiled as she pulled Alminas onto the dancefloor, tightening her grip on him.

"Let's dance together,"

"I'm not the best dancer,"

"And? It'll just be for fun," She smiled that radiant smile at him, and that was the first time in his life when he finally realized he was in love.

####

"Please, just call me Ada. The only people who call me Adamarie are my husband and my niece. It's really weird. Besides, it can be like our own little secret,"

"Ada?"

"Yes."

"It fits you even more,"

####

"Have you read much of Elf culture?" Alminas questioned her one morning. She nervously adjusted her glasses.

"Hm? I've read a bit after I got married, but not very much. Why? Was there something in particular you wanted to share with me, Alminas?"

"I just wondered...if you perhaps knew very much about...Elf marriages,"

"Oh, Alminas..." She gasped. "I see where you're going with this. But you know, I've been married for twenty years now. I cannot just as easily elope with you, now that I have children of my own,"

"We wouldn't have to elope. We wouldn't even have to tell anyone else. An Elf marriage is very informal compared to your own marriages. It focuses more on the love two people have in their heart, rather than rehearsed formalities," Alminas explained, gently taking her hands.

"Is that so?" Ada smiled her trademark smile, the one that has made Alminas' heart skip a beat ever since he first saw it.

"Would your family mind much if you got married to a servant?"

"Well, you aren't an ordinary servant,"

"And you aren't an ordinary girl,"

"Alminas, I haven't been referred to as a girl in years." Ada pouted slightly.

"I apologize for offending you,"

"I'm not offended, just..." Ada frowned, then gently kissed Alminas' cheek. "Never mind. Let us get married,"

And so, they were married in an Elfen ceremony. Ada wore a gown stitched entirely of flowers and lilypads; Alminas made sure it was green and yellow to match the Jorcastle green. She was, after all, still a Jorcastle first and foremost. His own robes were embroidered through with green ivy. They held the ceremony in the forest, where one of the Elf nobles gave them two rings made from buttercups. Ada happily slipped hers on, on the other ring finger.

"I thought my wedding to Mathias was the happiest day of my life. But now...I have found a day to rival it," She said simply, tearing up.

"Ada...I love you. I have loved you nearly from the very beginning. I just didn't know what to do with those feelings, or what to call them..." Alminas began, being silenced by Ada's gentle kiss.

"Don't waste words today. Let's just enjoy the remainder of this ceremony in silence, shall we?" Ada smiled at him, and Alminas nodded.

#####

She was only seventy-seven years old, but she was sick and was likely dying. Her children had long since moved away and had children of their own, while her own husband had passed away just a few years earlier.

"Alminas, come over here," She directed, lying down in her bed. He hurried over, taking in her pale, wrinkly skin, silvery-grey hair, and her thicker spectacles. Still, her green eyes shone vibrantly, and her smile was still full of courage and brightness.

"Yes? Do you need anything?" He asked, holding her hand. She was beautiful, even now.

"I just want to say something," She coughed really harshly before continuing, making Alminas wince. "These past seventy years have been some of the best of my life. And I owe a lot of that to you. You have been a faithful servant, a close friend, a wise guide, and a loving husband for as long as I have met you. You set the standards high for Elves. No...you set the standards high for all living things in general. I only wish I could live just a little bit longer to properly thank you," She gently squeezed his hand. "Thank you for always being there for me, for being such a loving and caring husband,"

"Ada.." Alminas felt himself starting to tear up, even as she continued to smile.

"Please, I do not want you to feel sad. I want you to continue living your life, even when I'm gone. Remain here with my family for generations. Continue to serve the Jorcastles long after my passing. Guide the Duke and Duchess of the future in anything they may need. And if you do find love again someday, then I hope she is just as worthy and deserving of your love as you will likely be of hers,"

Alminas nodded at her directions, tightening his grip on her hands. "Ada, please...I-I feel like I've just met you. I don't want you to leave,"

"I should've foreseen this when we both started to fall for each other...an Elf could never truly love a human, their lives are far too long and sturdy,while us humans are frail and short-lived," Ada chuckled weakly. "It's pretty unfair, isn't it?"

"Ada..." He cried, and she closed her eyes.

"Leave me. I need some rest," She loosened her grip on Alminas and dropped her hand to the side of the bed. Alminas nodded slowly, leaving her to rest.

She died early the next morning, that famous smile still on her face.

#######

Alminas took some flowers to her grave almost every chance he got. True to her word, he remained a faithful servant to the Jorcastles and had been for centuries. Whenever he thought of leaving, he simply silenced his thoughts by reminding himself that it's what she would've wanted.

Today was one of the days he had to take flowers to her grave, though when he arrived he was surprised to see someone else at the graveyard today; a small girl dressed in thick layers of black. A veil even shrouded her face, but somehow even through it, Alminas could feel her piercing, red-brown eyes boring into him.

"Who are you here for? Someone close to you?" She asked once he gently placed the flowers down. He simply nodded, not facing her.

"Yes...my wife..."

"I'm here for my father." The girl replied curtly. He finally faced her. Her hands were folded in front of her, and despite the circumstance, she still retained an aura of pride. She reminded him of...Ada, in a way.

"I'm sorry for your loss," He finally commented, unsure of what else to say.

"Are you the Elf of the Jorcastles?" She asked instead.

"Yes, yes I am. Are you a friend of the family?"

"One day, when I'm older, I'm going to be Duchess Jorcastle. I'm going to own that household," She replied, hurrying off. Alminas blinked a few times before getting up himself, having to head back to the manor. It looked like it was going to rain again.

#####  
"Do you know what my name means? Adamarie?"

"No."

"It means Happy! Or noble. But I really do prefer 'happy' because I think it fits me better! Well, that's what 'Ada' means. The 'Marie' part means...well, 'bitterness'. But that's not very nice, now is it?"

At the time, Alminas didn't understand very much, but now, centuries later, he finally understood her meaning.

Ada had brought him and everyone else around her joy and happiness. Always smiling, always cheerful. She had taught him what it meant to truly be happy, even on her deathbed.

But when that happiness was gone, what came after it was nothing but bitterness. Sadness and bitterness for an eternity. That was the price to pay for happiness, he supposed.

Happiness, followed by bitterness. How painfully, painfully fitting for her.


End file.
